The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes : the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma , the Seminole Tribe of Florida , and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida , as well as independent groups. The Seminole people emerged in a process of ethnogenesis from various Native American groups who settled in Spanish Florida beginning in the early 1700s, most significantly northern Muscogee Creeks from what are now Georgia and Alabama .
120-652: The CSX Transportation Building is a 251 feet (77 meters) high-rise office building located in Jacksonville, Florida . Completed in 1960, the building currently serves as headquarters for CSX Corporation . The building is located in the Northbank area of Downtown Jacksonville , along the banks of the St. Johns River . The building was originally built as the headquarters for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad . In 1956,
240-551: A Confederate Army at the Battle of Olustee , going down to defeat. Union forces retreated to Jacksonville and held the city for the remainder of the war. In March 1864 a Confederate cavalry confronted a Union expedition in the Battle of Cedar Creek . Warfare and the long occupation left the city disrupted after the war. During Reconstruction and the Gilded Age , Jacksonville and nearby St. Augustine became popular winter resorts for
360-563: A University of North Florida team discovered some of the oldest remnants of pottery in the United States, dating to 2500 BCE. In the 16th century, the beginning of the historical era, the region was inhabited by the Mocama , a coastal subgroup of the Timucua people. At the time of contact with Europeans, all Mocama villages in present-day Jacksonville were part of the powerful chiefdom known as
480-468: A grand jury was convened to investigate, 11 officials were indicted and more were forced to resign. In 1963 the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools threatened to withdraw accreditation of area schools in a year because of "instructional deficiencies". But voters refused to approve new taxes to improve school conditions. In late 1963, Duval County was spending $ 299 per student compared to
600-520: A 900-square-mile entity. Tommy Hazouri supported passage of environmental regulations and reduced pollution odor during his single term as mayor, which began in 1987. Ed Austin was elected as mayor in 1991. His most lasting contribution is the River City Renaissance program, a $ 235 million bond issued in 1993 by the city of Jacksonville which funded urban renewal and revamped the city's historic downtown neighborhoods. Austin oversaw
720-526: A Spanish force from the nearby Spanish settlement of St. Augustine attacked Fort Caroline , and killed nearly all the French soldiers defending it. The Spanish renamed the fort as San Mateo and, following the expulsion of the French, St. Augustine became the most important European settlement in Florida. The location of Fort Caroline is subject to debate, but a reconstruction of the fort was established in 1964 along
840-561: A billion dollars to construct. The word "Seminole" may be derived from the Creek word simanó-li . This has been variously translated as "frontiersman", "outcast", "runaway", "separatist", and similar words. The Creek word may be derived from the Spanish word cimarrón , meaning "runaway" or "wild one", historically used for certain Native American groups in Florida. The name "Seminole" likely
960-757: A charter for a town government, which the Florida Legislative Council approved on February 9, 1832. During the American Civil War , Duval County produced several units that fought for the Confederate States Army . At least two were raised out of Jacksonville: the Jacksonville Light Infantry , a militia unit formed in 1859, and the Duval County Cow Boys, mustered in during the summer of 1861. Both units fought as part of
1080-586: A company in the field, this letter shows how the Confederacy attempted to use Seminole warriors against the Union. Other leaders, such as Halleck Tustenuggee and Sonuk Mikko (Billy Bowlegs), refused to sign, withdrew from Florida, and joined with the Union. After the war, the United States government declared void all prior treaties with the Seminoles of Indian Country because of the "disloyalty" of some in allying with
1200-651: A dozen times due to storms crossing the state from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, or passing to the north or south in the Atlantic and brushing past the area. The strongest effect on Jacksonville was from Hurricane Dora in 1964, the only recorded storm to hit the First Coast with sustained hurricane-force winds. The eye crossed St. Augustine with winds that had just barely diminished to 110 mph (180 km/h), making it
1320-462: A halt to international fashion trade), all contributed to a major decline in the demand for Seminole goods. In 1930, they received 5,000 acres (20 km ) of reservation lands. Few Seminoles moved to these reservations until the 1940s. They reorganized their government and received federal recognition in 1957 as the Seminole Tribe of Florida . During this process, the more traditional people near
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#17328590089401440-536: A heterogeneous tribe made up of mostly Lower Creeks from Georgia, who by the time of the Creek War (1813–1814) numbered about 4,000 in Florida. At that time, numerous refugees of the Red Sticks migrated south, adding about 2,000 people to the population. They were Creek-speaking Muscogee, and were the ancestors of most of the later Creek-speaking Seminole. In addition, a few hundred escaped African-American slaves (known as
1560-634: A high-stakes bingo game on their reservation in the late 1970s, winning court challenges to initiate Native American gaming , which many tribes have adopted to generate revenues for welfare, education, and development. After removal, the Seminoles in Oklahoma and Florida had little official contact until well into the 20th century. They developed along similar lines as the groups strove to maintain their culture while struggling economically. Most Seminoles in Indian Territory lived on tribal lands centered in what
1680-531: A number of important works to the city's modern architectural movement. Jacksonville's early predominant position as a regional center of business left an indelible mark on the city's skyline. Many of the earliest skyscrapers in the state were constructed in Jacksonville, dating to 1902. The city last held the state height record from 1974 to 1981. The tallest building in Downtown Jacksonville's skyline
1800-546: A single sports franchise, and for that franchise to be an NFL team. The Better Jacksonville Plan , promoted as a "blueprint for Jacksonville's future" and approved by Jacksonville voters in 2000, authorized a half-penny sales tax. This generated most of the revenue required for the $ 2.25 billion package of major projects, which have included road and infrastructure improvements, environmental preservation, targeted economic development, and new or improved public facilities. In 2005, Jacksonville hosted Super Bowl XXXIX , which
1920-470: A society based on a matrilineal kinship system of descent and inheritance: children are born into their mother's band and derive their status from her people. To the end of the nineteenth century, they spoke mostly Mikasuki and Creek. Two of the fourteen are "Freedmen Bands," composed of members descended from Black Seminoles, who were legally freed by the U.S. and tribal nations after the Civil War. They have
2040-521: A stone column at his landing site near the river's mouth, claiming the newly discovered land for France. In 1564, René Goulaine de Laudonnière established the first European settlement on the St. Johns River, Fort Caroline , near the main village of the Saturiwa. Philip II of Spain ordered Pedro Menéndez de Avilés to protect the interests of Spain by attacking the French at Fort Caroline. On September 20, 1565,
2160-552: A strong Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale . In 1979, Hurricane David passed offshore by 40 miles (64 kilometres), bringing winds around 95 mph (150 km/h). Hurricane Floyd in 1999 caused damage mainly to Jacksonville Beach; the Jacksonville Beach pier was severely damaged and later demolished. In 2004, Jacksonville was inundated by Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Jeanne , which made landfall south of
2280-538: A syncretic Christianity that has absorbed some tribal traditions. In 1946, the Department of Interior established the Indian Claims Commission , to consider compensation for tribes that claimed their lands were seized by the federal government during times of conflict. Tribes seeking settlements had to file claims by August 1961, and both the Oklahoma and Florida Seminoles did so. After combining their claims,
2400-742: A syncretic indigenous-Western practice. For example, Seminole hymns sung in the indigenous (Muscogee) language are inclusive of key Muscogee language terms (for example, the Muscogee term "mekko" or chief conflates with "Jesus"). Also, hymns are frequently led by a song leader (a traditional indigenous song practice). In the 1950s, federal projects in Florida encouraged the tribe's reorganization. They created organizations within tribal governance to promote modernization. As Christian pastors began preaching on reservations, Green Corn Ceremony attendance decreased. This created tension between religiously traditional Seminoles and those who began adopting Christianity. In
2520-463: A thriving trade business with white merchants during this period, selling alligator hides, bird plumes, and other items sourced from the Everglades. Then, in 1906, Governor Napoleon B. Broward began an effort to drain the Everglades in attempt to convert the wetlands into farmland. The plan to drain the Everglades, new federal and state laws ending the plume trade, and the start of World War I (which put
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#17328590089402640-548: A tradition of accepting escaped slaves from Southern plantations , infuriating planters in the American South by providing a route for their slaves to escape bondage. After the United States achieved independence, the U.S. Army and local militia groups made increasingly frequent incursions into Spanish Florida to recapture escaped slaves living among the Seminole. American general Andrew Jackson 's 1817–1818 campaign against
2760-478: A tradition of extended patriarchal families in close communities. While the elite interacted with the Seminoles, most of the Freedmen were involved most closely with other Freedmen. They maintained their own culture, religion and social relationships. At the turn of the 20th century, they still spoke mostly Afro-Seminole Creole , a language developed in Florida related to other African-based Creole languages. The Nation
2880-665: A unique park system, with various lands operated by the National Park Service , Florida State Parks and the City of Jacksonville Department of Parks and Recreation. Jacksonville operates the largest urban park system in the United States, providing facilities and services at more than 337 locations on more than 80,000 acres (320 km ) throughout the city. A number of parks provide access for people to boat, swim, fish, sail, jetski, surf and waterski. Seminole Old crafts and traditions were revived in both Florida and Oklahoma in
3000-612: A user from England, accepted the offer and had the pizzas sent to Hayecz's home. The 10,000 Bitcoins were worth about US$ 40 at the time. A plaque was mounted on the wall of the restaurant commemorating the day, with the declaration that Jacksonville is the "Home of the first Bitcoin purchase". This event marks May 22 as "Bitcoin Pizza Day" for crypto-fans. The city has suffered damage in natural disasters. In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew caused major flooding and damage to Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach , Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach ,
3120-525: A village known as Red Bays on Andros. Under colonists' pressure, the U.S. government made the 1823 Treaty of Camp Moultrie with the Seminoles, seizing 24 million acres in northern Florida. They offered the Seminoles a much smaller reservation in the Everglades , of about 100,000-acre (400 km ). They and the Black Seminoles moved into central and southern Florida. In 1832, the U.S. government signed
3240-530: A year. Normal monthly mean temperatures range from 54.2 °F (12.3 °C) in January to 82.5 °F (28.1 °C) in July; high temperatures average 65.5 to 91.9 °F (18.6 to 33.3 °C) throughout the year. The city of Jacksonville usually averages only about 10 to 15 nights at or below freezing. Such cold weather is usually short-lived. The coldest temperature recorded at Jacksonville International Airport
3360-405: Is a LEED certified building and is an example of Mid-century modern and International style architecture. Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( US : / ˈ dʒ æ k s ən ˌ v ɪ l / JAK-sən-vihl ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida , located on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida . It is the seat of Duval County , with which
3480-651: Is a dialect. This is the primary traditional language spoken today by the Miccosukee in Florida. Joining them were several bands of Choctaw , many of whom were native to western Florida. Some Chickasaw had also left Georgia due to conflicts with colonists and their Native American allies. Also fleeing to Florida were African Americans who had escaped from slavery in the Southern Colonies . The new arrivals moved into virtually uninhabited lands that had once been peopled by several cultures indigenous to Florida, such as
3600-495: Is derived from the Spanish cimarones , meaning "wild or untamed", as opposed to the christianized natives who had previously lived in the mission villages of Spanish Florida (In the 17th century the Spanish in Florida used cimaron to refer to christianized natives who had left their mission villages to live "wild" in the woods. ). Some of the Hitchiti - or Mikasukee -speakers who had settled in Florida identified themselves to
3720-476: Is expressed through the stomp dance and the Green Corn Ceremony held at their ceremonial grounds. Indigenous peoples have practiced Green Corn rituals for centuries. Contemporary southeastern Native American tribes, such as the Seminole and Muscogee Creek , still practice these ceremonies. As converted Christian Seminoles established their own churches, they incorporated their traditions and beliefs into
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3840-466: Is now Seminole County of the state of Oklahoma. The implementation of the Dawes Rolls in the late 1890s parceled out tribal lands in preparation for the admission of Oklahoma as a state, reducing most Seminoles to subsistence farming on small individual homesteads. While some tribe members left the territory to seek better opportunities, most remained. Today, residents of the reservation are enrolled in
3960-481: Is now restricted to Florida, where it was the native language of 1,600 people as of 2000, primarily the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida . The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is working to revive the use of Creek among its people, as it had been the dominant language of politics and social discourse. Muscogee is spoken by some Oklahoma Seminoles and about 200 older Florida Seminoles. The youngest native speaker
4080-641: Is primarily sand and clay rather than limestone, so few sinkholes develop; however, deep, large diameter sinkholes do occur. The architecture of Jacksonville varies in style. Few structures in the city center predate the Great Fire of 1901 . The city is home to one of the largest collections of Prairie School style buildings outside the Midwest. Following the Great Fire of 1901, Henry John Klutho came to influence generations of local designers with his works by both
4200-563: Is the Bank of America Tower , constructed in 1990 as the Barnett Center. It has a height of 617 ft (188 m) and includes 42 floors. Other notable structures include the 37-story 1 Independent Square (with its distinctive flared base making it the defining building in the Jacksonville skyline), originally built in 1972–1974 by the Independent Life and Accident Insurance Company, and
4320-619: Is traditionally divided into several amorphous areas, comprising large parts of Duval County. These are Northside , Westside , Southside , and Arlington , as well as the Jacksonville Beaches . Four municipalities have retained their own governments since consolidation; these are Baldwin and the three Jacksonville Beaches towns of Atlantic Beach , Neptune Beach , and Jacksonville Beach . Four of Jacksonville's neighborhoods, Avondale , Ortega , Springfield , and Riverside , have been identified as U.S. historic districts and are in
4440-539: The 3rd Florida Infantry . The St. John's Greys, the Milton Artillery, and Company H of 1st Florida Cavalry Regiment were also all formed by men from Jacksonville. Jacksonville was also a key supply point for hogs and cattle shipped from Florida to feed the Confederate forces. The city was blockaded by Union forces, who gained control of nearby Fort Clinch . Though no battles were fought in Jacksonville proper,
4560-432: The American Civil War , the Confederate government of Florida offered aid to keep the Seminoles from fighting on the side of the Union. The Florida House of Representatives established a Committee on Indian Affairs in 1862 but, aside from appointing a representative to negotiate with the Seminole tribe, failed to follow its promises of aid. The lack of aid, along with the growing number of Federal troops and pro-unionists in
4680-472: The Apalachee , Timucua , Calusa and others. The native population had been devastated by infectious diseases brought by Spanish explorers in the 1500s and later colonization by additional European settlers. Later, raids by Carolina and Native American slavers destroyed the string of Spanish missions across northern Florida . Most of the survivors left for Cuba when the Spanish withdrew, after ceding Florida to
4800-695: The Black Seminoles ) had settled near the Seminole towns and, to a lesser extent, Native Americans from other tribes, and some white Americans. The unified Seminole spoke two languages: Creek and Mikasuki (mutually intelligible with its dialect Hitchiti ), two among the Muskogean languages family. Creek became the dominant language for political and social discourse, so Mikasuki speakers learned it if participating in high-level negotiations. The Muskogean language group includes Choctaw and Chickasaw , associated with two other major Southeastern tribes. In part due to
4920-749: The Chicago School , championed by Louis Sullivan , and the Prairie School of architecture, popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright . Jacksonville is also home to a notable collection of Mid-Century modern architecture. Local architects Robert C. Broward , Taylor Hardwick , and William Morgan adapted a range of design principles, including International style , Brutalism, Futurism and Organicism, all applied with an American interpretation generally referred to today as Mid-century modern design. The architecture firms of Reynolds, Smith & Hills (RS&H) and Kemp, Bunch & Jackson (KBJ) have also contributed
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5040-510: The Everglades to land that was not desired by settlers. They were finally left alone and they never surrendered. Several treaties seem to bear the mark of representatives of the Seminole tribe, including the Treaty of Moultrie Creek and the Treaty of Payne's Landing . The Florida Seminoles say they are the only tribe in America never to have signed a peace treaty with the U.S. government. During
5160-578: The National Register of Historic Places . According to the Köppen climate classification , Jacksonville has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), with hot humid summers, and warm to mild and drier winters. Seasonal rainfall is concentrated in the warmest months from May through September, when brief but intense downpours with thunder and lightning are common, while the driest months are from November through April. Rainfall averages around 52 inches (1.3 m)
5280-453: The PGA Tour headquarters located in nearby Ponte Vedra Beach . People from Jacksonville are known as Jacksonvillians and, informally, as Jaxsons or Jaxons (both derived from Jax, the shortened nickname for the city). The area of the modern city of Jacksonville has been inhabited for thousands of years. On Black Hammock Island in the national Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve ,
5400-491: The Port of Jacksonville (JAXPORT), Florida's largest seaport by volume. Jacksonville's military bases and the nearby Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay form the third largest military presence in the United States. Significant factors in the local economy include services such as banking, insurance, healthcare and logistics. As with much of Florida, tourism is important to the Jacksonville area, particularly tourism related to golf with
5520-500: The Saturiwa , centered around the mouth of the St. Johns River . One early French map shows a village called Ossachite at the site of what is now downtown Jacksonville; this may be the earliest recorded name for that area. In 1562, French Huguenot explorer Jean Ribault charted the St. Johns River , calling it the River of May because that was the month of his discovery. Ribault erected
5640-538: The Second Seminole War . Drawing on a population of about 4,000 Seminoles and 800 allied Black Seminoles, he mustered at most 1,400 warriors (President Andrew Jackson estimated they had only 900). They countered combined U.S. Army and militia forces that ranged from 6,000 troops at the outset to 9,000 at the peak of deployment in 1837. To survive, the Seminole allies employed guerrilla tactics with devastating effect against U.S. forces, as they knew how to move within
5760-649: The Seminole Tribe of Florida in 1957. The more traditional people living near the Tamiami Trail received federal recognition as the Miccosukee Tribe in 1962. The Seminoles were organized around itálwa , the basis of their social, political and ritual systems, and roughly equivalent to towns or bands in English. They had a matrilineal kinship system, in which children are considered born into their mother's family and clan, and property and hereditary roles pass through
5880-506: The St. Johns River in the First Coast region of northeastern Florida, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) south of the Georgia state line (25 mi or 40 km to the urban core/downtown) and 350 miles (560 km) north of Miami . The Jacksonville Beaches communities are along the adjacent Atlantic coast. The area was originally inhabited by the Timucua people, and in 1564 was the site of
6000-573: The Tamiami Trail defined themselves as independent. They received federal recognition as the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians in Florida in 1962. During World War II , roughly sixty-five Seminoles fled into the Everglades to avoid registering for the draft. The superintendent of the Seminole Indian agency in Dania was able to convince all but two of the group to eventually register. In the 1950s,
6120-476: The Treaty of Payne's Landing with a few of the Seminole chiefs. They promised lands west of the Mississippi River if the chiefs agreed to leave Florida voluntarily with their people. The Seminoles who remained prepared for war. White colonists continued to press for their removal. In 1835, the U.S. Army arrived to enforce the treaty. The Seminole leader Osceola led the vastly outnumbered resistance during
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#17328590089406240-529: The U.S. government , including the Treaty of Moultrie Creek and the Treaty of Paynes Landing . Seminole culture is largely derived from that of the Creek. One of the more significant holdovers from the Creek was the Green Corn Dance ceremony. Other notable traditions include use of the black drink and ritual tobacco . As the Seminoles adapted to Florida environs , they developed local traditions, such as
6360-749: The Yamasee War in South Carolina, migrated into Spanish Florida in the early 18th century. More arrived in the second half of the 18th century, as the Lower Creeks , part of the Muscogee people, began to migrate from several of their towns into Florida to evade the dominance of the Upper Creeks and pressure from encroaching colonists from the Province of Carolina . They spoke primarily Hitchiti , of which Mikasuki
6480-402: The 1700s, the various new arrivals intermingled with each other and with the few remaining indigenous people. In a process of ethnogenesis , they constructed a new culture which they called "Seminole", a derivative of the Mvskoke' (a Creek language ) word simano-li , an adaptation of the Spanish cimarrón which means "wild" (in their case, "wild men"), or "runaway" [men]. The Seminole were
6600-500: The 18th century by Cowkeeper . Beginning in 1825, Micanopy was the principal chief of the unified Seminole, until his death in 1849, after removal to Indian Territory. This chiefly dynasty lasted past Removal, when the US forced the majority of Seminole to move from Florida to the Indian Territory (modern Oklahoma) after the Second Seminole War . Micanopy's sister's son, John Jumper , succeeded him in 1849 and, after his death in 1853, his brother Jim Jumper became principal chief. He
6720-628: The 1960s and 1970s, some tribal members on reservations, such as the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation in Florida, viewed organized Christianity as a threat to their traditions. By the 1980s, Seminole communities were even more concerned about loss of language and tradition. Many tribal members began to revive the observance of traditional Green Corn Dance ceremonies, and some shifted away from Christian observance. By 2000, religious tension between Green Corn Dance attendees and Christians (particularly Baptists) decreased. Some Seminole families participate in both religions; these practitioners have developed
6840-449: The 28-floor Riverplace Tower . When this tower was completed in 1967, it was the tallest precast, post-tensioned concrete structure in the world. There are more than 500 neighborhoods within Jacksonville's vast area. These include Downtown Jacksonville and its surrounding neighborhoods, including LaVilla , Brooklyn , Riverside and Avondale , Springfield , Eastside , Mandarin , and San Marco . Additionally, greater Jacksonville
6960-401: The American Civil War, the members and leaders split over their loyalties, with John Chupco refusing to sign a treaty with the Confederacy . From 1861 to 1866, he led as chief of the Seminole who supported the Union and fought in the Indian Brigade. The split among the Seminoles lasted until 1872. After the war, the United States government negotiated only with the loyal Seminole, requiring
7080-488: The Black Seminoles also owned or controlled land that was seized in this cession, they were not acknowledged in the treaty. In 1976, the groups struggled on allocation of funds among the Oklahoma and Florida tribes. Based on early 20th century population records, at which time most of the people were full-blood, the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma was to receive three-quarters of the judgment and the Florida peoples one-quarter. The Miccosukee and allied Traditionals filed suit against
7200-448: The British as "cimallon" ( Muskogean languages have no "r" sound, replacing it with "l"). The British wrote the name as "Semallone", later "Seminole". The use of "cimallon" by bands in Florida to describe themselves may have been intended to distinguish themselves from the primarily Muskogee -speakers of the Upper Towns of the Muscogee Confederacy (called the "Creek Confederacy" by the British). After 1763, when they took over Florida from
7320-418: The British called the Cow Ford; these names reflected the use of the ford for moving cattle across the river there. The British introduced the cultivation of sugarcane , indigo , and fruits as cash crops on plantations , in addition to exporting lumber. A large number of British colonists who were "energetic and of good character" were given land grants in the region and emigrated to the region, becoming
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#17328590089407440-458: The British in 1763, following Britain's victory in the French and Indian War . While John Swanton stated in the mid-20th century that the Seminole encountered and absorbed the Calusa who had remained in southwest Florida after the Spanish withdrew, more recent scholarship since the turn of the 21st century holds that there is no documentary evidence of that assertion. As they established themselves in northern and peninsular Florida throughout
7560-477: The City of Jacksonville consolidated in 1968. It was the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020, and became the 10th largest city by population in 2023. City-county consolidation greatly increased Jacksonville's official population and extended its boundaries, placing most of Duval County's population within the new municipal limits; Jacksonville grew to 900 square miles (2,300 km ). As of July 2022 , Jacksonville's population
7680-457: The Commission awarded the Seminole a total of $ 16 million in April 1976. It had established that, at the time of the 1823 Treaty of Moultrie Creek , the Seminole exclusively occupied and used 24 million acres in Florida, which they ceded under the treaty. Assuming that most blacks in Florida were escaped slaves, the United States did not recognize the Black Seminoles as legally members of the tribe, nor as free in Florida under Spanish rule. Although
7800-431: The Confederacy. They required new peace treaties, establishing such conditions as reducing the power of tribal councils, providing freedom or tribal membership for Black Seminoles (at the same time that enslaved African Americans were being emancipated in the South), and forced concessions of tribal land for railroads and other development. The 1868 Florida Constitution , developed by the Reconstruction legislature, gave
7920-427: The Everglades and use this area for their protection. Osceola was arrested (in a breach of honor) when he came under a flag of truce to negotiations with the US in 1837. He died in jail less than a year later. He was decapitated, his body buried without his head. Other war chiefs, such as Halleck Tustenuggee and John Jumper, and the Black Seminoles Abraham and John Horse , continued the Seminole resistance against
8040-406: The French colony of Fort Caroline , one of the earliest European settlements in what is now the continental United States. Under British rule , a settlement grew at the narrow point in the river where cattle crossed, known as Wacca Pilatka to the Seminole and the Cow Ford to the British. A platted town was established there in 1822, a year after the United States gained Florida from Spain; it
8160-425: The Oklahoma and Florida Seminole tribes filed land claim suits, claiming they had not received adequate compensation for their lands. Their suits were combined in the government's settlement of 1976. The Seminole tribes and Traditionals took until 1990 to negotiate an agreement as to division of the settlement, a judgment trust against which members can draw for education and other benefits. The Florida Seminoles founded
8280-456: The Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma and one-quarter to the Seminoles of Florida, including the Miccosukee. By that time the total settlement was worth $ 40 million. The tribes have set up judgment trusts, which fund programs to benefit their people, such as education and health. As a result of the Second Seminole War (1835–1842), about 3,800 Seminoles and Black Seminoles were forcibly removed to Indian Territory (the modern state of Oklahoma ). During
8400-534: The Seminoles became known as the First Seminole War . Though Spain decried the incursions into its territory, the United States effectively controlled the Florida panhandle after the war. In 1819, the United States and Spain signed the Adams-Onís Treaty , which took effect in 1821. According to its terms, the United States acquired Florida and, in exchange, renounced all claims to Texas . President James Monroe appointed Andrew Jackson as military governor of Florida. As European American colonization increased after
8520-417: The Seminoles one seat in the house and one seat in the senate of the state legislature. The Seminoles never filled the positions. After white Democrats regained control over the legislature, they removed this provision from the post-Reconstruction constitution they ratified in 1885. In the early 20th century, the Florida Seminoles re-established limited relations with the U.S. government. The Seminoles maintained
8640-643: The Spanish, the British called all natives living in Florida "Seminoles", "Creeks", or "Seminole-Creeks". The people who constituted the nucleus of this Florida group either chose to leave their tribe or were banished. At one time, the terms "renegade" and "outcast" were used to describe this status, but the terms have fallen into disuse due to their negative connotations. The Seminole identify as yat'siminoli or "free people" because for centuries their ancestors had successfully resisted efforts to subdue or convert them to Roman Catholicism . They signed several treaties with
8760-654: The St. Johns River. Spain ceded Florida to the British in 1763 as part of the Treaty of Paris in the aftermath of the Seven Years' War (known as the French and Indian War on the North American front). The British soon constructed the King's Road connecting St. Augustine to Georgia . The road crossed the St. Johns River at a narrow point, which the Seminole called Wacca Pilatka and
8880-473: The U.S. of Florida in 1821, many American slaves and Black Seminoles frequently escaped from Cape Florida to the British colony of the Bahamas , settling mostly on Andros Island . Contemporary accounts noted a group of 120 migrating in 1821, and a much larger group of 300 enslaved African Americans escaping in 1823. The latter were picked up by Bahamians in 27 sloops and also by travelers in canoes. They developed
9000-406: The United States, suffered from many negative effects of rapid urban sprawl after World War II . The construction of federal highways essentially subsidized development of suburban housing, and wealthier, better established residents moved to newer housing in the suburbs. After World War II, the government of the city of Jacksonville began to increase spending to fund new public building projects in
9120-563: The area, and suffered minor damage from Tropical Storm Bonnie , which spawned a minor tornado. Jacksonville also suffered damage from 2008's Tropical Storm Fay , which crisscrossed the state, bringing parts of Jacksonville under darkness for four days. Fay damaged, but did not destroy, the Jacksonville Beach pier that was rebuilt after Floyd. On May 28, 2012, Jacksonville was hit by Tropical Storm Beryl , packing winds up to 70 mph (110 km/h), which made landfall near Jacksonville Beach . Hurricane Matthew passed 37 mi (60 km) to
9240-552: The army. After a full decade of fighting, the war ended in 1842. Scholars estimate the U.S. government spent about $ 40,000,000 on the war, at the time a huge sum. An estimated 3,000 Seminoles and 800 Black Seminoles were forcibly exiled to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi, where they were settled on the Creek reservation. After later skirmishes in the Third Seminole War (1855–1858), perhaps 200 survivors retreated deep into
9360-670: The arrival of Native Americans from other cultures, the Seminole became increasingly independent of other Creek groups and established their own identity through ethnogenesis . They developed a thriving trade network by the time of the British and second Spanish periods (roughly 1767–1821). The tribe expanded considerably during this time, and was further supplemented from the late 18th century by escaped slaves from Southern plantations who settled near and paid tribute to Seminole towns. The latter became known as Black Seminoles , although they kept many facets of their own Gullah culture. During
9480-429: The business district. The Walker Business College was opened c. 1916 in Jacksonville and advertised that it was the largest African American business school in the United States. During World War II , The U.S. Navy became a major employer and economic force, constructing three Navy bases in the city, while the U.S. Marine Corps established Blount Island Command. Jacksonville, like most large cities in
9600-559: The city and county governments merged to create the Consolidated City of Jacksonville. Fire, police, health & welfare, recreation, public works, and housing & urban development were all combined under the new government. In honor of the occasion, then-Mayor Hans Tanzler posed with actress Lee Meredith behind a sign marking the new border of the "Bold New City of the South " at Florida 13 and Julington Creek. The consolidation created
9720-508: The city changed hands several times between Union and Confederate forces. In the Skirmish of the Brick Church in 1862, Confederates won their first victory in the state. However, Union forces captured a Confederate position at the Battle of St. Johns Bluff , and occupied Jacksonville in 1862. Slaves escaped to freedom in Union lines. In February 1864 Union forces left Jacksonville and confronted
9840-463: The city's purchase and refurbishing of the St. James Building , which is now used as Jacksonville's city hall . He was mayor in 1993 when Jacksonville was awarded its National Football League franchise, the Jacksonville Jaguars . They are the only major sports franchise in the city, making Jacksonville one of only two markets (the other one being Green Bay), and the only major city, to have
9960-590: The colonial years, the Seminole were on relatively good terms with both the Spanish and the British . In 1784, after the American Revolutionary War , Britain came to a settlement with Spain and transferred East and West Florida to it. The Spanish Empire 's decline enabled the Seminole to settle more deeply into Florida. They were led by a dynasty of chiefs of the Alachua chiefdom, founded in eastern Florida in
10080-460: The construction of open-air, thatched-roof houses known as chickees . Historically the Seminoles spoke Mikasuki and Creek , both Muskogean languages . Florida had been the home of several indigenous cultures prior to the arrival of European explorers in the early 1500s. However, the introduction of Eurasian infectious diseases, along with conflict with Spanish colonists, led to a drastic decline of Florida's original native population. By
10200-777: The decade, earning Jacksonville the title of "Winter Film Capital of the World". However, the emergence of Hollywood as a major film production center ended the city's film industry. One movie studio site, Norman Studios , remains in Arlington ; it has been converted to the Jacksonville Silent Film Museum at Norman Studios. During this time, Jacksonville also became a banking and insurance center, with companies such as Barnett Bank , Atlantic National Bank , Florida National Bank , Prudential , Gulf Life, Afro-American Insurance, Independent Life and American Heritage Life thriving in
10320-459: The early 1700s, much of La Florida was uninhabited apart from Spanish colonial towns at St. Augustine and Pensacola . A stream of mainly Muscogee Creek began moving into the territory at that time to escape conflict with English colonists to the north and established their own towns, mainly in the Florida panhandle. Native American refugees from northern wars, such as the Yuchi and Yamasee after
10440-432: The east with winds of 110 miles per hour. It caused storm surge, extensive flooding of the Atlantic Ocean and St. Johns River, and wind damage; the storm knocked out power for 250,000 people. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed 75 mi (121 km) to the west with 65 mph (100 km/h) winds. It caused severe storm surge and flooding, passing the flood record of Hurricane Dora in 1964. The City of Jacksonville has
10560-407: The federally recognized Seminole Nation of Oklahoma , while others belong to unorganized groups. The Florida Seminole re-established limited relations with the U.S. government in the early 1900s and were officially granted 5,000 acres (20 km ) of reservation land in south Florida in 1930. Members gradually moved to the land, and they reorganized their government and received federal recognition as
10680-455: The first English-speaking population in Florida. These colonists came from England, Georgia, South Carolina and Bermuda. British judges introduced the system of common law to Florida, resulting in the Floridian legal system utilizing concepts such as trial-by-jury , habeas corpus and county-based government. After their defeat in the American Revolutionary War , Britain returned control of
10800-533: The first such damage in the area since 2004. In September 2017, Hurricane Irma caused record-breaking floods in Jacksonville, with a severity not seen since 1846. As has been typical of other metropolitan areas across the country, suburban growth has continued around Jacksonville, where large areas of land were available for development, drawing more residents, businesses and jobs from the city. This has resulted in further demographic changes. The city's largest ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, declined from 75.8% of
10920-765: The largest urban fire in the southeastern United States. Architect Henry John Klutho was a primary figure in the reconstruction of the city. The first multi-story structure built by Klutho was the Dyal-Upchurch Building in 1902. The St. James Building , built on the previous site of the St. James Hotel that burned down, was built in 1912 as Klutho's crowning achievement. In the 1910s, northern film studios headquartered in New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago were attracted to Jacksonville's warm climate, exotic landscapes, excellent rail access, and cheap labor. More than 30 silent film studios were established over
11040-468: The late 20th century, the Seminole Tribe of Florida has been particularly successful with gambling establishments, attracting many of the numerous tourists to the state. In 2007 it purchased the Hard Rock Café and has rebranded or opened several casinos and gaming resorts under that name. These include two large resorts on its Tampa and Hollywood reservations; together these projects cost more than
11160-494: The maternal line. Males held the leading political and social positions. Each itálwa had civil, military and religious leaders; they were self-governing throughout the nineteenth century, but would cooperate for mutual defense. The itálwa continued to be the basis of Seminole society in Oklahoma into the 21st century. Historically, the various groups of Seminoles spoke two mutually unintelligible Muskogean languages : Mikasuki (and its dialect, Hitchiti) and Muscogee . Mikasuki
11280-666: The merger of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and the ACL), and from January 1, 1983 to the present by the Seaboard System Railroad , renamed CSX Transportation on July 1, 1986. Its former names include Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Building , Seaboard Coastline Railroad Building , and Seaboard System Railroad Building . Designed by lead architect Bob Lee of KBJ Architects , the CSX Transportation Building
11400-471: The mid-20th century as the Seminole began seeking revenue from tourists traveling along the new interstate highway system . In the 1970s, Seminole tribes began to run small bingo games on their reservations to raise revenue. They won court challenges to initiate Indian gaming on their sovereign land. Many U.S. tribes have likewise adopted this practice where state laws have gambling, in order to generate revenues for welfare, education, and development. Since
11520-480: The needed larger geographic tax base to improve services throughout the county. Voters outside the city limits rejected annexation plans in six referendums between 1960 and 1965. On August 27, 1960 , a white mob attacked civil rights demonstrators in Hemming Park with clubs. The police largely stood by. In 1962, a federal court ordered the city to prepare a plan for integration of public schools, in accordance with
11640-472: The population in 1970 to 55.1% by 2010. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 874.3 square miles (2,264 km ), making Jacksonville the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States ; of this, 86.66% (757.7 sq mi or 1,962 km ) is land and 13.34% (116.7 sq mi or 302 km ) is water. Jacksonville completely surrounds
11760-458: The postwar economic boom. Mayor W. Haydon Burns ' Jacksonville Story resulted in the construction of a new city hall, civic auditorium, public library and other projects that created a sense of civic pride. Development of suburbs led to a growing middle class who lived outside the urban core. An increasing proportion of residents in Jacksonville's urban core had a higher than average rate of poverty, especially as businesses and jobs also migrated to
11880-525: The railroad company decided to move its corporate headquarters from Wilmington, North Carolina to Jacksonville, which was the winning candidate of three southern cities; the other two were Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina . From July 1960 to July 1, 1967, the building was used by the ACL; from July 1, 1967 to January 1, 1983, by the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (a company created by
12000-638: The rich and famous. Visitors arrived by steamboat and later by railroad. President Grover Cleveland attended the Sub-Tropical Exposition in the city on February 22, 1888, during his trip to Florida. This highlighted the visibility of the state as a worthy place for tourism. The city's tourism, however, was dealt major blows in the late 19th century by yellow fever outbreaks. Extending the Florida East Coast Railway further south drew visitors to other areas. From 1893 to 1938, Jacksonville
12120-616: The ruling of the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education (1954). A study found schools were in poor condition and poorly equipped. On December 29, 1963, the Hotel Roosevelt fire killed 22 people, the highest one-day death toll in Jacksonville. On September 10, 1964, Hurricane Dora made landfall near St. Augustine , causing major damage to buildings in North Florida. Hurricane Dora
12240-401: The settlement in 1976 to refuse the money; they did not want to give up their claim for return of lands in Florida. The federal government put the settlement in trust until the court cases could be decided. The Oklahoma and Florida tribes entered negotiations, which was their first sustained contact in the more than a century since removal. In 1990, the settlement was awarded: three-quarters to
12360-569: The state average spending of $ 372 per student. In 1964 all 15 of Duval County's public high schools lost their accreditation. This added momentum to proposals for government reform. Jacksonville Consolidation , led by J. J. Daniel and Claude Yates , began to win more support during this period, from both inner-city blacks, who wanted more involvement in government after passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 , that provided federal oversight and enforcement of their right to vote, and whites in
12480-418: The state, led the Seminoles to remain officially neutral throughout the war. In July 1864, Secretary of War James A. Seddon received word that a man named A. McBride had raised a company of sixty-five Seminole who had volunteered to fight for the Confederacy. McBride claimed to have an understanding of Florida because of the time he had spent there fighting during the Seminole wars. While McBride never put such
12600-421: The suburbs, who wanted more services and more control over the central city. Lower taxes, increased economic development, unification of the community, better public spending, and effective administration by a more central authority were all cited as reasons for a new consolidated government. When a consolidation referendum was held in 1967, voters approved the plan with a 65 percent approval. On October 1, 1968,
12720-442: The suburbs. Given the postwar migration of residents, businesses, and jobs, the city's tax base declined. It had difficulty funding education, sanitation, and traffic control within the city limits. In addition, residents in unincorporated suburbs had difficulty obtaining municipal services, such as sewage and building code enforcement. In 1958, a study recommended the city of Jacksonville begin annexing outlying communities to create
12840-621: The territory to Spain in 1783 via the Peace of Paris . The settlement at the Cow Ford continued to grow. After Spain ceded the Florida Territory to the United States in 1821, American settlers on the north side of the Cow Ford decided to plan a town, laying out the streets and plats. They named the town Jacksonville, after celebrated war hero and first Territorial Governor (later U.S. president) Andrew Jackson . Led by Isaiah D. Hart , residents wrote
12960-399: The town of Baldwin . Nassau County lies to the north, Baker County lies to the west, and Clay and St. Johns counties lie to the south. Jacksonville has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean with the Jacksonville Beaches . The city developed along both sides of the St. Johns River . The Trout River , a major tributary of the St. Johns River, is entirely within Jacksonville. Soil composition
13080-401: The treaty, colonists pressured the federal government to remove Natives from Florida. Slaveholders resented that tribes harbored runaway black slaves, and more colonists wanted access to desirable lands held by Native Americans. Georgian slaveholders wanted the " maroons " and fugitive slaves living among the Seminoles, known today as Black Seminoles , returned to slavery. After acquisition by
13200-410: The tribe to make a new peace treaty to cover those who allied with the Confederacy, to emancipate the slaves , and to extend tribal citizenship to those freedmen who chose to stay in Seminole territory. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma now has about 16,000 enrolled members, who are divided into a total of fourteen bands; for the Seminole members, these are similar to tribal clans . The Seminole have
13320-484: Was 7 °F (−14 °C) on January 21, 1985 . Jacksonville has recorded three days with measurable snow since 1911, most recently a one-inch (2.5 cm) snowfall in December 1989 and flurries in December 2010. Jacksonville has only received one direct hit from a hurricane since 1871. The rarity of direct strikes is attributed to chance. However, the city has experienced hurricane or near-hurricane conditions more than
13440-663: Was 971,319, while the population of Duval County was about 1 million. After consolidation, Jacksonville became the most populous city in Florida and the Southeastern United States , and the largest in the South outside the state of Texas. With a population of 1,733,937, the Jacksonville metropolitan area ranks as Florida's fourth-largest metropolitan region. The metropolitan area consists of Clay County, St. Johns County, Nassau County, and Baker County. Jacksonville straddles
13560-545: Was born in 1960. Today, English is the predominant language among both Oklahoma and Florida Seminoles, particularly the younger generations. Most Mikasuki speakers are bilingual. The Seminole use the spines of Cirsium horridulum (also called bristly thistle) to make blowgun darts. During the Seminole Wars, the Seminole people began to divide among themselves due to the conflict and differences in ideology. The Seminole population had also been growing significantly, though it
13680-691: Was diminished by the wars. With the division of the Seminole population between Indian Territory (Oklahoma) and Florida, they still maintained some common traditions, such as powwow trails and ceremonies. In general, the cultures grew apart in their markedly different circumstances, and had little contact for a century. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma , and the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida , described below, are federally recognized, independent nations that operate in their own spheres. Seminole tribes generally follow Christianity, both Protestantism and Catholicism . They also observe their traditional Native religion , which
13800-466: Was in power through the American Civil War, after which the U.S. government began to interfere with tribal government, supporting its own candidate for chief. After raids by Anglo-American colonists on Seminole settlements in the mid-18th century, the Seminole retaliated by raiding the Southern Colonies (primarily Georgia ), purportedly at the behest of the Spanish. The Seminoles also maintained
13920-401: Was named after Andrew Jackson , the first military governor of the Florida Territory and seventh President of the United States. Harbor improvements since the late 19th century have made Jacksonville a major military and civilian deep-water port . Its riverine location facilitates Naval Station Mayport , Naval Air Station Jacksonville , the U.S. Marine Corps Blount Island Command , and
14040-518: Was one of the few landmarks to survive the fire. Governor William Sherman Jennings declared martial law and sent the state militia to maintain order; on May 17, municipal authority resumed. It is said the glow from the flames could be seen in Savannah, Georgia , and the smoke plumes seen in Raleigh, North Carolina . Known as the " Great Fire of 1901 ", it was one of the worst disasters in Florida history and
14160-400: Was seen by an estimated 86 million viewers. The first notable retail transaction involving physical goods was paid on May 22, 2010, by exchanging 10,000 mined BTC for two pizzas delivered from a Papa John's in Jacksonville, Florida. Laszlo Hanyecz, who lives in Jacksonville, created a thread on an online forum offering the bitcoins to anyone who would order him two pizzas. Jeremy Sturdivant,
14280-470: Was the first recorded hurricane to make a direct hit to North Florida. In the mid-1960s, corruption scandals arose among city and some county officials, who were mainly part of a traditional white Democratic network that had dominated politics for the decades since the disenfranchisement of most African Americans at the turn of the 20th century which effectively hollowed out the Republican Party. After
14400-572: Was the site of the Florida Old Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Home ; it operated a nearby cemetery. On May 3, 1901, downtown Jacksonville was ravaged by a fire that started as a kitchen fire. Spanish moss at a nearby mattress factory was quickly engulfed in flames and enabled the fire to spread rapidly. In a mere eight hours, it swept through 146 city blocks, destroyed over 2,000 buildings, left about 10,000 homeless and killed seven residents. The Confederate Monument in Hemming Park
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